


Leave Out all the Rest

by arianapeterson19



Series: Avengers Shorts [35]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alpha Bucky Barnes, Alpha Natasha Romanov, Alpha Steve Rogers, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Avengers Family, Beta Bruce Banner, Beta Clint Barton, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Multi, Omega Tony Stark, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Torture, Water
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-03
Updated: 2016-06-23
Packaged: 2018-05-24 10:40:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6150949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arianapeterson19/pseuds/arianapeterson19
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There were a lot of things that Tony would have rather been doing - knitting, inventing, cooking, slowly pulling out his eyebrows - and yet he ended up not doing any of those things.</p>
<p>OR</p>
<p>The one where Tony really doesn't do water.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. System

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Child_of_Eru](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Child_of_Eru/gifts).



There was a system. Tony wasn’t unaware of the system but he did actively avoid thinking about it because if he delved too deep he would see how much they truly cared and that scared him.

It was a good system, designed so that everyone got a turn and no one got a worn out or overwhelmed. They took turns feeding the genius and making him sleep. They avoided set schedules because the lives they lived weren’t conducive to such things but they did alter in some semblance of order. And they knew Tony could survive on his own but he was also their omega and they wanted to look after him. 

Society had shifted from centuries ago when omega’s were honored and cherished to make them little more than pack property. And if they didn’t have a pack then they ran the risk of being taken by any alpha or beta that wanted them and then discarded without a thought. Tony had spent his life being belittled as he clawed his way through school and work. He’d fought against everything, remaining without a pack for as long as possible so he could continue working. He was lucky, he’d found a pack that allowed him to continue working after he joined. However, he wasn’t sure how to let his pack take care of him – and they wanted to take care of him because the Avengers were an old-school pack.

“Tony?” called Clint. “You okay?”

“Fine,” bit out Tony, pacing his Hulk-like cage, all glass, round, and filtered air. It was utterly devoid of tools or anything to rip apart. It was, in a word, boring. “You?”

“Fine,” sighed Clint.

Everyone had their own cell identical to Tony’s, round and empty. With time and the correct anound of force Steve, Bruce, and Bucky could break out but Clint, Natasha, and Tony were in it for the long haul. Not that Tony seemed bothered, he kept sending discreet signs to the others on how the weakest point was the bottom near the door and what the code probably was to the others doors.

“I’m going to go insane,” whined Tony. “This is so boring. Like, do you think they were surprised that they actually captured us and are trying to decide what to do next? That would be really embarrassing. I bet they are like those dogs that chase cars but the moment they catch one they don’t know what to do.”

“Kindly shut your omega up or I will do it myself,” drawled a posh looking alpha in an expensive suit, marching through the industrial metal doors.

“Fuck you,” snarled Tony.

“Oh, I will,” said the man calmly. “But only after I get the information I need from your pack and have killed you. Then I will make your pack watch as I fuck your cold, dead, pliant body.”

“You sick son of a bitch!” yelled Tony.

“I do believe I told you to shut up,” sighed the man, pressing a button.

Water began pouring in from the ceiling and rising up from the ground. Tony froze before sending a panicked look at his pack. He didn’t do water, they knew that, they knew that on bad days if he had to shower then at least one of them had to be with him to keep him grounded. They knew that, so why weren’t they in there with him or stopping it? Already the water lapped at his shins.

“Um, guys?” said Tony softly.

“What do you want?” demanded Bucky, glaring at their captor.

“I want immunity in the upcoming trials regarding A.I.M.,” said the man – who Tony finally placed as Timothy Cane. “I want my name and all involvement erased. I don’t need you or any other form of the law snooping around in my business.”

“We can’t do that,” said Steve. “We don’t have that kind of power.”

“Then I guess you’re little omega will die for nothing,” shrugged Timothy, the image of disinterest. “Banner will find a computer under the fifth tile. If he is successful in deleting all evidence of my involvement then you all may go free. The doors will open and I’ll even let you take the omega’s body with you. I’d hurry if I were you.”

With that, Timothy left. Tony had water almost to his chest and was truly starting to panic.

“Tony, listen to me,” said Steve in his most alpha tone. “You’re going to be fine. Bruce is going to figure this out, you’re going to be fine.”

“Fuck this,” grumbled Bucky. “Nat, Clint, try to keep Tony calm. Steve, start trying to break out. Bruce, you have until I say to work on getting these doors open before Hulking out.”

“That’s a last resort,” said Bruce, typing away on the computer, not removing his eyes from the screen. “I’m not sure how well the Other Guy will behave right now.”

“Then hurry the fuck up,” snapped Bucky before slamming his metal arm against the clear wall.

The water was at his neck. Tony tried to focus on Clint and Natasha’s voices but as he started to clumsily tread water it became almost impossible. In just minutes the top of Tony’s head hit the ceiling. Shortly after that his cell was full. Tony stopped moving his limbs and opened his eyes. The water was clouded but clear enough that he could see his pack. They seemed to be yelling but the words were muffled through the water.

It would have been peaceful if his lungs weren’t burning with need and his mind wasn’t panicked. The water was freezing but Tony had gone numb to it. His lungs were still burning but his mind was slowing down. 

“Bruce, you are done?” yelled Clint, watching as bubbles escaped Tony’s mouth.

“Almost,” snapped Bruce. “Two more minutes.”

“We don’t have two minutes!” grunted Bucky.

In the water, Tony shut his eyes; it was easier to pretend he wasn’t in his least favorite place if his eyes were closed. He wished he was at home with his pack, watching a movie, being cuddled and cared for and not worried about water. It would be perfect. 

Finally, after struggling and fighting, Tony opened his mouth, breathed in the water that rushed to his starving lungs, and welcomed the blackness that consumed his mind.

“No!”


	2. Helpless

Steve was the one who had first spoken about bringing Tony into their pack. The Avengers had been working together for over a year and been a pack for several months, all but Tony, who had laughed in their faces when they mentioned that they were forming a pack. Tony had laughed and then gone back to messing with his tablet.

 

Steve and the others let it go until one day three weeks later when Steve brought it up.

 

_“I want Tony to be our omega,” said Steve at dinner._

_There was no risk of them being overheard because Tony was away at a conference with Pepper._

_“He doesn’t want a pack,” said Natasha._

_“He wants a pack, he’s just scared,” said Bruce. “He’s an omega, I’d be scared too. Right now it may be difficult to understand but he has some semblance of freedom right now. As soon as he gets a pack, he has to sign over his rights and trust us to make good choices.”_

_“We wouldn’t make him quit working,” said Clint, his mouth full of burger, bits of it crumbling down his chin. “If he stopped inventing who would make me cool arrows?”_

_“He’d be safer with a pack,” insisted Steve. “He wouldn’t have to go on these trips alone, he wouldn’t have to worry about other alphas trying to take advantage of him.”_

_“You can’t force him into this,” said Natasha._

_“We could woo him,” suggested Bucky._

_Everyone around the table froze._

_“What?” said Bucky, looking up from his plate._

_“Woo him?” said Clint._

_“Yes,” said Bucky with a shrug. “Isn’t that how you’re supposed to convince your omega to join that pack?”_

_“Yes, in history classes as a stupid project,” said Clint. “No one has wooed an omega in centuries. Beta’s woo betas and beta’s woo alphas, but omega’s just sort of get what they get.”_

_“That’s stupid,” said Bucky. “You’re supposed to woo someone, convince them that you will care for them and cherish them. If we want Tony to join us then we have to prove him that.”_

_So woo him they did._

 

Steve brought Tony coffee every day, a different blend for each week, making notes of which Tony liked most to order in bulk. Bruce helped Tony with every experiment the billionaire came up with and brought new supplies when he noticed that Tony needed them. Clint convinced Tony to team up and prank Steve, which caused them to bond over mischief and gifts. Natasha taught Tony how to spar better, teaching the omega with minimal bruises and surprising patience. Bucky bought Tony gifts and left them throughout the Tower for the genius to find.

 

Soon enough, Tony found himself going on subtle dates with each of them, out of the Tower for coffee, to see the newest movies, dinner, a walk, anything really. He didn’t even realize they were dates until he found himself dressing up for dinner with everyone and the media showed up, yelling questions about their forming pack and how they convinced the flighty Tony Stark to settle down. As the others bristled in indignation, Tony started laughing. Because it was just so funny that the only pack he had ever considered being a part of, the one he had turned down with a smirk and a scoff, was the one he ended up falling for.

 

 - Leave Out all the Rest –

 

_"I don't like this," said Tony, sitting at the bottom of a very steep hill. "I don't like this one bit."_

_It was a beautiful valley that stretched on for miles behind him with rolling fields of grass, trees to climb, everything blooming and yet it looked as if every season had agreed to coexist. It was breathtaking but Tony had eyes only for the hill._

_"I don't want to be here," said Tony, standing up, sounding like he was the king of the world. "I know where I am. You know, that's what I don't know - how I know. No one ever explained anything!"_

_He was glaring at the sky as he started tracking up the harsh terrain._

_"No one ever explains anything," grumbled Tony, growing frustrated as he slipped. "I don't think anyone is ever listening. People are cruel and mean and if you’re not an alpha or beta then you don't even matter. But no one even gives a damn!"_

_He hit his knees again, the rocks scraping against them. His hands scrabbled, dirt pushing up under his nails, roots and glass shards littering the ground cutting into his hands, drawing thin lines of blood, but Tony kept climbing upward for hours, sometimes silent, sometimes screaming, but always climbing up, away from the peaceful land behind._

_"I spent my entire life alone," panted Tony, his hands grasping to ledge at the top of the hill. "That's only just changed. Let me go back. I just want to go back."_

 

\- Leave Out all the Rest –

 

“Please wake up,” begged Steve, watching helplessly as Clint did compressions to Tony’s chest.

 

Bruce had managed to get the doors open two minutes after Tony quit twitching, the water flooding out with Tony tumbling in it while the Avengers rushed out to their omega. The billionaire wasn’t breathing, he wasn’t moving. He didn’t respond to their yells, pleas, to answer them, so Clint started chest compressions while Bruce checked for a pulse.

 

“Come on,” begged Clint under his breath. “Don’t you do this to me, Stark.”

 

“Wake up, dammit,” growled Natasha, hovering on the edge, eyes trained on Tony’s slack face as if her willpower could transfer into the genius and wake him up.

 

Bucky didn’t say a word, his metal arm twitching with the need to do something to help his omega. But there was nothing he or any of them could do, it seemed. It had been three minutes since Clint had started working and still there was nothing to show from it. Tony was remaining stubbornly still and as each second slipped away Bucky could feel the rest of the pack losing hope. Ribs cracked under the force of the compressions but even that discomfort couldn’t rouse the omega.

 

“Tony please,” whispered Steve brokenly, hitting his knees on the damp concrete floor. “Please don’t do this.”

 

Bruce looked up and caught Bucky’s eye, his own sad and broken, telling the soldier all he needed to know.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear, this was just supposed to be a two-shot! It sort of.....grew.....
> 
> Always,  
> Ari


	3. Complicated

“We should call it,” suggested Bruce softly.

“No!” screamed Clint, pounding Tony’s chest while tears streamed down his face. “He. Is. Not. Dead! Wake up you asshole!”

Perhaps it was the yelling or maybe it was the continued chest compressions, but whatever it was, Tony suddenly coughed up water. Bruce and Clint instantly turned the genius to his side while Tony continued to cough up water while trying to breathe at the same time.

“Slowly,” insisted Bruce, rubbing Tony’s back while Clint cradled his head. “Easy, you’re okay. Slow breaths, you can do this, Tony.”

“Holy shit,” sobbed Steve, all but collapsing against Bucky. 

It took almost ten minutes before Tony finished coughing and started breathing in some semblance of a normal pattern. By then Tony had somehow migrated into Steve’s lap, shivering and soaked and weak.

“Let’s go home,” said Bucky.

“What about Cane?” asked Bruce, already shifting to stand.

“We’ll hunt him down later,” said Natasha. “I’ll get Coulson working on it. We’re not leaving Tony right now.”

“Let’s go,” said Clint.

The archer shrugged out of his jacket and laid it over Tony’s shoulders while Steve stood up, the billionaire curled up in his arms. Tony shivered, one hand snaking up to curl into Steve’s collar. The other was curled protectively around his chest where his ribs ached. His breath rattled in his lungs in a way that made Bruce sure that recovery was going to be a long road. Still, the genius couldn’t help but be grateful for the fact that they had a chance at that long road instead of having to suffer through the longer, more impossible one of life without Tony.

When they emerged from the building they had been held in, the Avengers found themselves surrounded by what looked like cattle land, grassy, hilly, and a bit rough. It was a warm day, the sun was shining down, heating the ground, and several mile away they could make out another structure – this one a farm house. In silent agreement they headed in that direction, hoping to call for a ride from that home. 

“How’s he doing?” asked Clint, sidling up to Steve.

“Still hasn’t said a word,” said Steve, kissing the top of Tony’s head. “But he’s warming up and seems to be breathing a bit easier now that we’re outside.”

“I want to check him out properly as soon we get to that house,” said Bruce. “With his history of lung problems I want to stop any infections before they really take hold. Also he was without oxygen for far longer than I would like, so I want to check for any damage there.”

“Understood,” said Steve.

When they reached the house, it was empty, deserted but clean. Steve set Tony down on the couch and stripped of the billionaire’s wet shirt and pants, wrapping him instead with a blanket from the back of the couch. 

“Nat, Bucky, search the place for anything that can communicate with SHEILD,” ordered Steve. 

“Steve, get the fire going and find something dry for him to wear,” said Bruce. “Clint, come hold Tony, keep him calm while I check him more intensely. You know he hates medical.”

Clint slipped onto the couch and tugged Tony until he was leaning against the archer. Tony went willingly enough, seemingly seeking out the comfort of his pack mate though his eyes were glazed and unseeing.

“Hey Tones,” said Clint softly. “Brucey is going to check you over a bit, okay? He just wants to make sure everything is okay with you.”

“Tony, do you know who I am?” asked Bruce, sitting on the coffee table in front of the omega.

Tony nodded, briefly looking at Bruce then away again.

“Can you tell me out loud please?” asked Bruce, one hand resting on Tony’s chest while the omega breathed. 

Tony blinked at Bruce, opened his mouth, made a small, distressed noise, then shut his mouth and curled into Clint, who wrapped both muscled arms around the trembling genius.

“You’re okay,” soothed Clint before turning his questioning gaze at Bruce. “What’s wrong with him? Why won’t he speak?”

“I can’t say for sure,” said Bruce with a sigh, rubbing his face. “But it may be an after effect of the oxygen deprivation. Or it could be just shock. We won’t know until he has calmed down a bit.”

“Got a hold of Coulson,” announced Natasha, walking back in to the living room. “They’re on their way now and are bringing proper medical supplies.”

“Good,” said Bruce. “I’m going to see if I can make some tea.”

“How you doing, Tony?” asked Natasha, sitting on the other side of Tony on the old blue couch. “Feeling any better?”

Tony shook his head and burrowed into Clint’s side even more, as if he thought he could just disappear if he was close enough to the archer. Clint didn’t mind, allowing the omega to seek the comfort he so desperately needed. Natasha hummed and settled in next to them both, discretely checking Tony’s temperature while she did. She wasn’t pleased to note that Tony was starting to run a fever but there was little they could do about it while stuck in an abandoned farm house.

“When I was younger I wanted a pack,” said Natasha softly. “I craved that type of closeness. My job didn’t encourage the closeness and relationships that a pack requires. But that didn’t stop me from wanting it. And then when Loki attacked New York and everyone came together I finally got my chance. And it was wonderful. It was almost perfect. And then you joined in, you let us become your pack and you became our omega, and that was perfect. You are perfect. You made us complete. Tony, I know I never thanked you for that, but thank you for giving me the pack I always wanted.”

Tony peeked out from Clint’s side to inspect the alpha. Natasha looked back at him steadily, waiting, face open for Tony to read. Eventually Tony nodded at her and rested his head on Clint’s chest, his ear right above the archer’s heart, eyes blinking slowly while they waited for someone to come for them.

“You’re okay,” said Clint, his voice rumbling in his chest. “We’ve got you. You can go to sleep, we’ll keep watch, we’ll protect you.”

“You’re our omega,” said Natasha, her small hand winding around Tony’s ankle. “We’ll keep you safe.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The best laid plans.....this was supposed to be a two-shot, three-shot at most. And now it's grown because I have issues and don't know how to not let something grow.
> 
> Always,  
> Ari


	4. Alone is Something You'll Be Quite a Lot

Transferring Tony into the helicarrier was uneventful, trying to settle him into SHEILD medical was less easy.

“Tony, baby come on,” begged Steve, trying to ease the omega onto the exam table so the doctors could check him over properly. “Please, let the doctors look at you. I’m not going anywhere but I’m just going to be in the way if I sit with you.”

Tony shook his head and clutched at Steve’s shirt more, distress rolling off of him in palpable waves. Steve sighed and sat down on the exam table with Tony in his lap. Tony settled down when he felt Steve sit.

“Captain, we need to get some images of his lungs,” said Dr. Uppena. “I’m sorry but I really need you to set Mr. Stark down.”

“I understand but I’m not willing to trigger a panic attack by doing that,” said Steve softly. “Is there any way you can have Bruce do it? Tony will allow Bruce near him but like this, you’re not going to get anything from him right now.”

“I’ll speak with Dr. Banner,” sighed Dr. Uppena. 

“Tony?” said Steve softly when they were alone in the room again. “Can you look at me for a second?”

Tony tilted his pounding head up and stared at Steve. In that moment Steve knew that he would not be able to leave Tony, not alone in medical, no matter what the doctors said.

“Tony,” said Bruce softly, entering the room and garnering Tony’s attention with his soft voice. “Dr. Uppena asked me to take some pictures of your lungs to get a better idea of what’s going on in there. Do you think you could let me do that?”

Tony shook his head, his eyes finally overflowing with tears and curling into himself. The entire day had just become too much for him – he was tired, wet, cold, not feeling well, and just wanted to curl up with his pack and go to sleep. Why did no one else understand that? Why were they all insisting on running tests on him?

“Guys,” sighed Clint, moving from his spot in the vents to the ground and placing a warm hand on Tony’s shoulder. “Can’t we just go back to the tower? Tony had everything he needs there. JARVIS can monitor his vitals and alert us if anything changes. This is just stressing him out more.”

“He needs to be in a hospital,” said Bruce tiredly. “I know he doesn’t like it but he almost drowned and the first 24 hours after are important.”

“Then let’s all just not sleep and look after him for 24 hours at home,” said Clint. “Home, not here.”

Bruce looked from Steve to Clint to Tony, who was just a miserable ball of genius, and Bruce sighed that sigh that meant he was giving in against his better judgment because Tony was involved and the genius did things to his insides that should not have been possible. Traditionalists would call it biological, the chemical effect from the pheromones of distress that an omega gives off, and maybe it was true, but Bruce was pretty sure it was something more, something entirely Tony that was more than biology. Somehow the genius had wormed his way into all of their hearts and he was there to stay.

“Fine,” said Bruce.

Back at the Tower, Tony changed silently into dry pants that were Clint’s, a soft shirt that was Bruce’s, a sweatshirt that belonged to Bucky, and socks that swallowed his feet that used to be Steve’s. He then collapsed on the oversized bed in the room they all shared most nights. Technically they still had their own bedrooms and they would sleep there occasionally but for the most part they would use the big bed in Tony’s room. 

“Do you need anything, Tones?” asked Natasha, perched on the edge of the bed where she normally did, right where she could easily protect her beta and omega pack members.

Tony shivered violently before coughing. Bruce kneeled in front of the omega, taking his temperature and monitoring his breathing. When Tony settled down into a slightly strained but easier breathing pattern, Bruce sat back on his heels and blew out a breath of his own.

“Bucky, I need to stay on top of Tony’s temperature,” said Bruce. “Don’t let it get too high. I’m going to make a few calls, it sounds like Tony is coming down with pneumonia and I want to get on top of it before it becomes more of a thing.”

Bucky nodded and settled in behind Tony, pulling the omega back so that he rested against his chest. Tony snuffled and closed his eyes, turning his head so his ear rested above Bucky’s heart. After several minutes, he fell into a fitful sleep but it was a sleep, so the entire pack counted it as a win.

“I’m worried about his lack of verbal response,” said Natasha quietly. 

“You think it’s more than shock?” said Steve.

“I think that he’s never been this silent for this long before,” said Natasha. 

“Brain damage?”

“It’s possible. He was without oxygen for long enough.”

“The best we can do is take care of him,” said Bucky. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but even if Tony can’t talk anymore, it changes nothing for me. I’ll help him relearn and if he can’t I’ll learn sign language or mime or whatever. But I’m not leaving him.”

“Me either,” said Clint with a yawn before snuggling closer to Tony’s legs. 

“None of us are,” said Natasha calmly. “He’s ours.”

When Tony twitched in his sleep, a noise of distress seeping out of his mouth, Bucky, Clint, Natasha, and Steve all moved to calm their omega. They couldn’t stop the nightmares but they could help after. Tony woke with a gasp, sitting up and staring around wildly to find himself surrounded by his pack. 

“You’re okay,” said Bucky softly. “You’re safe.”

“You’re at home, in the tower,” said Clint, rubbing Tony’s leg soothingly. “We’ve got you.”

Tony let out a strangled sob and fell back into a fever induced sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm going to write an animal AU, it's decided. But I'm going to hand write it, so it'll take a while. 
> 
> Also, does anyone know any good High School AU's with Tony? I want something fun to read. Or really any story that is centered around Tony. I just love Tony.
> 
> Always,  
> Ari


	5. Don't Let Go

The next three days were exhausting for everyone. Bruce ended up putting Tony on oxygen and started an IV of antibiotics to help manage the pneumonia that had started. Tony was absolutely miserable, plagued with nightmares when he did sleep and uncomfortable when he was awake. His pack mates did absolutely everything for him that they could but there was very little that eased the billionaires discomfort. The only thing that really helped was having someone there to hold him, which was made challenging due to the IV and oxygen mask.

He still wasn’t speaking. He would scream when he had a nightmare, whimper in pain, groan when the coughing hurt his already cracked ribs, but he did not talk. Bruce was almost positive the silence was due to the stress of the situation, more a shock reaction than brain damage from lack of oxygen. That did little to alleviate the worry the entire pack was experiencing but it did take the edge off. This type of reaction would be easier to recover from but they didn’t expect much until Tony was on the upswing.

By the end of the third day Tony’s fever was broken and his lungs had started clearing ever so slowly. Bruce switched the genius from the oxygen mask to the nasal cannula, which did wonders for Tony’s mental state. Not having something covering half of his face was a relief. The IV’s needed to stay in for just a little longer but Bruce did allow Tony to move from the bed to the living room. Tony needed assistance to make the trek but when he collapsed on the couch he was more relaxed and seemed happy for the change of scenery. 

“Tony?” said Natasha softly.

Tony looked at the spy sitting on the coffee table in front of him.

“Do you need a blanket?” asked Natasha.

Tony shook his head but shivered, causing the assassin to pull a blue blanket over his shoulders anyway.

“Tony, Coulson called this morning,” continued Natasha. “They’ve been trying to track down the man who captured us and he thinks they are on the right track. Clint and I are going to go check it out. Okay?”

Tony nodded.

“We should be back in a few days but we will call tonight.”

Tony closed his eyes and slumped sideways on the couch, landing against Steve who was sitting there. Briefly he wondered why the super soldier wasn’t going with the assassin twins but Steve was warm and reassuring and quite frankly having even two of his pack mate leaving him was more than he was willing to deal with like an adult. Natasha seemed to know this, though, if the way she reached out and smoothing back Tony’s hair was any indication. She wasn’t one to show physical affection often with Tony but when she did, he treasured it.

“We’ll be safe,” said Natasha softly. “Clint and I will keep in touch. See you in a few days. Rest. Get better. We’ll take care of the idiot who thought messing with you was a good idea.”

Tony wanted to protest and say that just because he was an omega didn’t mean he needed his pack to protect him but he didn’t have the energy. Natasha nodded and Steve and walked out of the living room. Shortly after Clint came in and said goodbye to Tony and Steve as well but Tony was mostly asleep at that point. Steve seemed perfectly content to spend all day acting as Tony’s pillow on the couch. JARVIW played various movies in the background but the Tower was quiet and seemed more empty even though only two of their members were missing.

“Tony?” said Steve after a long time, looking down to find Tony’s brown eyes fixed on his face. “Do you think we could take a shower?”

Tony shook his head, eyes widening in fear at the very idea.

“Baby, I know you’re scared but you’ll feel better when you’re clean. What if we get Bruce and Bucky to join us? You wouldn’t be in the direct spray, you can still get clean, and any time it gets too much then we will stop and figure something else out.”

For so long they sat there and Steve was sure Tony was going to refuse again but then, slowly, Tony nodded and hid his face in Steve’s chest, already trembling with fear of the shower to come. It broke Steve’s heart because he knew how proud Tony was and how much it must be killing the billionaire to admit to needing help, but at the same time he relished in the trust Tony was placing in his pack. It had been a long time coming, getting Tony to let them take care of him, but Steve was infinitely glad that they had all put the work in before something so drastic happened that rendered Tony incapable of doing things on his own. Small mercies, the super soldier thought.

“JARVIS, will you send the others to the bathroom?” asked Steve, easily lifting Tony off the couch and walking out of the living room.

“They will meet you there in two minutes,” reported JARVIS.

Steve kissed the top of Tony’s sweaty, messy locks. Tony whimpered softly and curled more into Steve’s chest. When they reached the bathroom, Bucky and Bruce were already there. The water was running in the shower as gently as possible and the two men had already moved to create a wall between the spray and their omega. When Steve and Tony joined them, the super soldier set down the genius on his feet, keeping his huge hands on Tony’s waist the entire time to steady the still sick billionaire. Bucky and Bruce were good at their job of blocking the water but a few drops still found their way on Tony, causing the omega to flinch violently, almost causing him to slip on the tiles if Steve hadn't held him steady.

“Don’t let go,” whispered Tony, looking up at Steve as though Steve could save the world and Tony needed a hero.


	6. Cuddling

After the shower – which only resulted in one panic attack and many tears – Tony refused to talk any more. He crawled into bed and Steve, feeling guilty about making Tony shower and go through the mental anguish that brought on, left Bucky to comfort the omega while he made mashed potatoes for Tony to eat. Tony refused to sleep, and his coughing was worse than it had been the day before, which worried Bruce.

“Tony, I think we need to get some proper chest x-rays,” said Bruce reluctantly. “I need to see what’s going on in there, you shouldn’t sound like that still.”

Tony looked at Bruce from the safety of Bucky’s arms and just started crying. It wasn’t hard, he wasn’t sobbing or making any noise, but tears still slid down his cheeks as he looked steadily at Bruce. It broke Bruce’s heart and he wanted nothing more than to tell Tony they would forget about going to medical but another round of coughing had Bruce biting his tongue. 

“Do you want Bucky to come with us?” asked Bruce.

Tony nodded, turning his head into Bucky’s chest as he dissolved farther into tears, shaking, one hand twisting into Bucky’s shirt while the other wrapped protectively around his ribs. Bucky nuzzled Tony’s hair before gently picking him up. Tony wrapped his legs around Bucky’s waist like a toddler, his face buried in Bucky’s neck. This position put less strain on his ribs.

“He might get cold,” cautioned Bruce.

Bucky grabbed one of the many blankets on the bed and wrapped it around Tony’s back before following Bruce out of the bedroom. They had medical in the Tower – Tony insisted it was part of his companies research and practical program but everyone knew it was because when injured the Avengers needed close help as most refused to leave the Tower for SHEILD. A short ride down the elevator and they arrived in their private quarters of the medical wing.

Tony had decked the rooms out with every possible thing they could need. Bruce was trained in how to use most of it – after getting tired of insisting that he wasn’t really a doctor, Bruce gave up and went to medical school for real – and had one of the preapproved nurses prep the equipment. Bucky stayed standing with Tony, soothing the distressed omega as best he could. It was physically painful to have Tony so close and so upset but Bucky hoped that after they figured out exactly what was wrong medically they would be able to better help him.

Tony was compliant but trembling through the entire exam. Bruce and Bucky remained as close as possible, making sure to touch and reassure Tony as he was poked, prodded, and had images taken. Eventually they had everything they needed and Bruce gave the okay for Bucky to take Tony back upstairs while he remained behind to discuss the results with another trusted doctor.

Upstairs, Bucky brought Tony to the couch and slid in behind him, holding Tony’s back against his chest while Steve joined them with a warm bowl of mashed potatoes. Tony was hungry but his throat was sore from all the coughing and his chest hurt when he breathed, so swallowing seemed like a task. Steve, for his part, simply offered Tony a small spoonful, mindful of the way the billionaire winced when he took too deep a breath. Tony wriggled his toes under Steve’s thigh to keep them warm.

“I’m sorry,” rasped Tony when he was finished eating.

“For what?” asked Bucky.

“Being impossible and…broken.”

“You’re not impossible,” said Bucky.

“You’re not broken,” said Steve.

“You’re brave and intelligent,” said Bucky. “You drowned and managed to stay alive. You work so hard to provide for us and the world. You have done everything for me, supporting me publically against those who would see me killed for my actions as the Winter Soldier. You are far better than you think.”

“When I woke up in the future I thought I would never be happy again,” said Steve. “How could I be? Everything I loved was gone. People here treated me like a time bomb, they treated me with kid gloves. They acted like I couldn’t handle all of the changes, like I was dumb. But you never did. From the moment I met you, you treated me like an equal. You’re so smart and when you were talking on the helicarrier, you didn’t bother to speak in laymen’s terms. You didn’t insult anyone by watering it down for them. And you didn’t care that you were surrounded by mostly alphas, it didn’t phase you that you were outnumbered. You walked in and stole the room. And you didn’t treat me as anything other than a person.”

Tony huffed, clearly not believing them.

“It’s okay,” said Bucky, cuddling Tony closer, resting his chin of Tony’s shoulder. “We’ll make you see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am exhausted. I can't write any more tonight but I wanted to post this before going to sleep.
> 
> Always,  
> Ari


	7. Shortest Chapter Ever

Bruce came back with the results several hours later. The pneumonia was back with a vengeance – really Bruce shouldn’t have been shocked, Tony never did anything halfway – and it looked like it had moved in for the long haul. Bruce wanted to get Tony on a stronger bout of antibiotics and would have to go back to monitoring the billionaire’s breathing closer, which the omega was not going to enjoy. At all.

“Tony,” said Bruce, joining his mates on the couch. “Baby, I know you’re still having a hard time breathing. I’m going to give you a different antibiotic that’ll hopefully fix that. And I’m going to need you to stay out of the lab and away from work for a while longer. Okay?”

“Can we go somewhere else?”

“I don’t think traveling is a god idea right now,” said Bruce.

“Where do you want to go?” asked Bucky indulgently, ignoring the glares from both Steve and Bruce.

“Wherever Clint and Natasha are,” said Tony. “I don’t like them being away.”

“Baby, they’re on a mission right now to get the guy who did this to you,” said Steve. “But what if we went to Malibu? You like Malibu.”

“I like Clint and Natasha too,” said Tony.

“Why don’t we call them?” suggested Bucky. “JARVIS? Call Clint and Natasha.”

A screen was pulled up and JARVIS dialed the spies. Tony pulled the screen off the stand and to him while he settled back against Bucky. 

“Hello?” said Clint, his face appearing in the screen.

“Clint!” said Tony, smiling. 

“Hey Tones,” said Clint. “How you feeling?”

“He’s still sick,” said Bruce before Tony could lie.

“Listen to Bruce,” said Natasha, shoving her face in with Clint. “He knows what he’s talking about and if you don’t then you will stay sick longer.”

“I only want to talk to people who aren’t going to be mean to me,” said Tony with a pout. “So Natasha and Bruce can go talk on a different tablet and I’ll stay here and talk to Clint and Steve and Bucky.”

Clint laughed and shoved Natasha out of the way so his face could take up all the space once again.

“How’s the mission?” asked Tony while Bruce went to speak more privately with Natasha.

“Fine,” said Clint. “Boring right now, we’re just watching at the moment.”

“Why don’t you watch from here?” suggested Tony, hating how he was sounding like a needy omega but not hating it enough to stop. “We could watch on the television and cuddle and you could be here.”

“Tony’s been miss you two,” supplied Steve needlessly.

“We’ll be back soon, baby,” said Clint. “We just want to make sure we kill the correct guy first.”

“But why can’t you make the baby agents watch and you just go in and kill him when they figure it out?”

“Because the baby agents suck and would alert him to their presence.”

“Baby agents are the worst,” said Tony sullenly.

“We’ll be back soon,” assured Clint, looking over the top of his screen at something. “But I have to go now. Love you.”

The archer hung up before the genius could respond, leaving Tony to pout at Steve while Bucky held him, muttering about stupid people and how baby agents ruined everything.

**Author's Note:**

> I worked on this instead of sleeping. 
> 
> Always,  
> Ari


End file.
